Georgetown Cupcakes

Georgetown Cupcake was started by two sisters in DC who quit their corporate jobs and started a cute cupcake shop in 2008.  For that, I am eternally jealous.  The shop was so cute, and their cupcakes were so good, that they got their own show on TLC.  I've seen the show a few times and they did one episode where someone wanted to special order GF cupcakes.  The sisters didn't offer GF cupcakes at the time, but they stayed late after the shop was closed and all the utensils were cleaned and made a batch of GF cupcakes.  Everyone was very happy.

Fast forward to now.  I was walking in SoHo with my brother recently and walked past a Georgetown Cupcake.  Apparently they just opened a location in NYC.  Remembering the show and how they didn't normally offer GF cupcakes, I didn't bother going in.  A few days later I happened to read somewhere that Georgetown cupcakes does in fact offer a GF flavor: Gluten Free Lava Fudge.  Clearly, I had to try it.

Coincidentally, I was back in SoHo with my brother on Monday.  It was his half birthday (yes, that's a thing) and we decided we needed some cake.  A perfect time to try Georgetown Cupcake!  Let me tell you, the store is adorable and the gluten free cupcake was amazing.  Not only was it amazing (top 3 GF cupcakes I've ever tried), but the staff was so considerate.  They asked if I was ordering the GF because of an allergy. When I confirmed that I was they changed their gloves before handling it and put it in a separate box than my brother's.  Between the cute shop, the delicious cupcake, and the conscientious handling of my cupcake, these people win big time.  Go try them.  Immediately.

peacefood cafe

Located on Amsterdam and 82nd, peacefood cafe is a vegan restaurant with many gluten free options.  They describe themselves as having healthy and delicious food with seasonal and locally grown ingredients when available.  I've been a few times and agree that they have healthy and delicious food.  I'll take their word on the seasonal and locally grown part.

I like getting the vegetable plates.  They have japanese pumpkin, chinese eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, choyote squash, kale, and baby boy choy.  You can choose two or four.  Or you can get two with a cup of soup.  Last week I had some butternut squash soup with zucchini and brussel sprouts.  It was really good and I felt good eating it.

Other gluten free options include fluffy quinoa salad, raw lasagna, raw pizza, raw sushi, potato salad, chickpea fries, and vegetable tamales.  There is also a case of desserts with several gluten free options including cookies, pies, and cheesecake.

This bustling casual restaurant has a really friend staff and the kind of owner that will give you samples of smoothies while you sit at the counter reading a book and eating some butternut squash soup.

Bloom's

There is a diner two blocks from my job that has gluten free pancakes.  I've never been because diner food, in my opinion, is for weekend brunch or late night burgers.  Neither of which usually happen near my office. But, tomorrow is my 26th birthday and I thought I'd treat myself to some gluten free pancakes for breakfast this morning.  I didn't have high hopes, but these were pretty good.  They were light and fluffy and everything pancakes should be.  My only qualms were the $10 price tag and the fact that they didn't have real maple syrup, but most diners don't.

Bloom's is on 39th and Lexington in Midtown Manhattan.  They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner 7 days a week.  Their extensive gluten free menu includes gluten free pancakes, french toast, and gluten free toast to go with egg dishes in the morning.  Sandwiches are served on gluten free bread and burgers are served on gluten free buns.  They also have salads, entrees, and desserts typical to diners.

Joan's GF Great Bakes

I've been hearing about Joan's for a long time now but hadn't had the chance to try her products until recently.  Not only was I able to finally give her products a try, but I was able to meet Joan in person at Whole Foods a few weeks ago.  I was there for a book signing, but there were also a lot of gluten free vendors around the store giving out free samples.  Joan was one of them and Erin, the leader of the NYC Celiac Meetup Group and author of Gluten-Free Fun, told me I had to go try some of Joan's products.  I'm glad I did!

I sampled Joan's Corn Toaster Muffins, English Muffins, and Double Chocolate Muffins.  They were all amazing.  I ended up going home with the Corn Toaster Muffins and Multi Grain English Muffins.  The English muffins make a great addition to breakfast and the Corn Toasters are a nice evening treat.  Next I'd like to try Joan's pizza.

Not only were Joan's products really good, but she was very nice herself!  Overall, a winning combination.  Nice work Joan, and thanks for the great products!

Pappardella

I stole this picture from the internet.

My brother doesn't really go above mid-town Manhattan.  In fact, he generally tends not to go above Union Square if he doesn't have to.  But tonight I convinced him to meet me for dinner on 75th and Columbus.  Way out of his comfort zone, but since we have eaten at most of the restaurants with gluten free menus in the city, it's always nice to have somewhere new to try.

I learned about Pappardella on twitter a few weeks ago and have been excited to try it ever since (see, twitter can serve a purpose).  I've been meaning to eat healthier recently, but tonight I accidentally ate gluten free garlic bread, gluten free bruschetta with a fava bean spread, gluten free pasta bolognese, and flourless chocolate cake with hazelnut gelato and caramel sauce.  Oh, and my brother had the gluten free salmon dish and I tried some of that too.  Oops!  Don't worry, we shared it all but the pasta.

But here's the thing, with all their gluten free options, I had a hard time deciding.  The gluten free menu was huge and covered everything from appetizers and salads, to pizza and pasta, to meat and fish, to dessert.  They use Schar for their pasta, and I'm pretty sure their bread as well.  The gluten free substitutes were pretty good, but next time I would be interested in trying one of their naturally gluten free dishes such as their grilled rack of grass fed Austrailian lamb with caramelized cipollini onions, and creamy parmesan polenta, or the grilled NY strip steak served with a port wine reduction and garlic mashed potatoes.  And after that I'd like to try their pizza.

Go ahead, go to the Upper West side and give it a try.  Then let me know what you think.

4 Ingredients Gluten-Free Cookbook

I was at Whole Foods this week for a cooking demo and book signing by Kim McCosker of 4 Ingredients.  Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham started their cookbook series 4 Ingredients a little over 4 years ago.  The concept is simple: hundreds of recipes with four or less ingredients.  Recently, Kim and Rachael realized the need for a gluten free version and voila, here it is.

I love the concept of this book.  The recipes are pretty basic, but sometimes that's just what you need to get dinner going.  There are over 400 recipes in the gluten free version including condiments and dips, breakfasts, appetizers, light lunches, sides, mains, desserts, drinks, and recipes for kids.

It was fun to meet Kim at the event.  She was very nice, engaging, and gave lots of tips.  I was able to try her BBQ beef stir-fry, guacamole, chocolate covered marshmallows, and another dessert I don't remember the name of.  I'm looking forward to trying the Chicken Tikka Masala made with just chicken, tikka masala paste, condensed GF tomato sauce, and plain yogurt.

The only question I had in the book was about the ingredient gluten free self rising flour.  Apparently, this is something they have in Australia where Kim is from, but not really in the US.  When I asked her about it, she told me to just add a teaspoon of baking powder to a regular all purpose gluten free flour blend to make it "self rising".  Easy.

I've been in a bit of a cooking rut lately and I hope this book is just the jump start I need.

All Inclusive Resorts - Gluten Free

This was the view from our room.  It's ok to be jealous.

I just got back from a week in Jamaica.  It's relatively warm in New York City this winter, but compared to the 85 degree days and 75 degree nights of island life, I'm sitting here wrapped in blankets and pouting profusely.  Gone from Saturday to Saturday, it's a good thing I had today to pull myself together before heading back to work tomorrow.

Last year my man friend and I went to Mexico.  It was my first vacation gluten free and I was kind of nervous about it.  I quickly realized that with so many options available at a resort buffet, eating gluten free was easy.  I had a similar experience this year, which is why this post is about eating at all inclusive resorts, rather than Jamaica.

Whether the resort is big or small, they are feeding so many people that there will always be gluten free options.  I don't mean gluten free pasta or bread. That you certainly won't find.  But there will always be a plethora of fruits and vegetables, along with fish, meat, and rice.  This covers lunch and dinner, and for breakfast there are always eggs, potatoes, fruit, and yogurt.

This trip I didn't knowingly eat any gluten or take nearly as many chances as last time.  I still let a few things slide that I wasn't positive on like jerk chicken and curry goat (the sauces being the potential problem), but I didn't get sick once.  I can't speak on cross contamination, and while I'm pretty sensitive and was fine the entire time, this might be a cause for concern for some.  However, the staff at these places are usually pretty great, and if you want to take the time to ask, I highly recommend it.

All in all, with all the food options at all inclusive resorts, eating gluten free is easy.  You might not always get what you want to eat, but at least you aren't going to starve.  Have some lunch and go drink a pina colada on the beach.  No problem.

Le Pain Quotidien

You wouldn't expect to find gluten free options at a place called Le Pain Quotidien (The Daily Bread).  But, you also wouldn't necessarily expect gluten free cookies to taste great and they can (more on that later).

Last weekend I was meeting a friend for a quick lunch before a movie and we decided to go to Le Pain Quotidien near the movie theater.  I hadn't been in years, and I wasn't expecting anything other than a salad, but lo and behold they have a few options for us gluten free folks after all.  I tried the chicken curry salad tartine served on gluten free crackers instead of bread.  It was pretty good.  They also have a six-vegetable quiche served on a gluten free buckwheat crust that I would be interested in trying.  Their salads are also safe without the bread and I bet if you asked really nice they'd give you some of those gluten free crackers with it.  Maybe.

With several locations in New York City, and in other places around the county and globe, Le Pain Quotidien provides another good light lunch option.

Ruby Foo's - Times Square

As I think you know, my brother and I try to go to dinner once a week.  There's an endless supply of restaurants in New York City and we have tried many of them.  These days we tend to eat only at restaurants with gluten free menus.  But, after a year of this, we've pretty much run through them all.  All the ones I'm aware of anyway.

Tonight we decided to try Ruby Foo's in Times Square.  I heard of Ruby Foo's awhile ago but hadn't tried it yet for two main reasons: 1) it's pretty expensive, and 2) I hate Times Square.  Anyone that lives in New York avoids Times Square at all costs.  Full of tourists walking really slowly, there is pretty much nothing a person living in New York needs to do there.

But, wanting to try somewhere new, my brother and I decided to give it a try.  The gluten free menu has three appetizers, three entrees, three sides, and two desserts.  We shared the Chicken Lettuce Wrap for an appetizer and I got the Mongolian Orange Chicken for my main dish.  They were both fine.  I wouldn't recommend Ruby Foo's for people living in NYC, but it is a good option for people visiting the city that may be in Times Square anyway.

I'm always looking for new restaurant suggestions in NYC and elsewhere.  Let me know if you have any gluten free recommendations!

Rubirosa

I've been to Rubirosa twice now.  It's a cute little Italian place in SoHo.  Dark and cozy, it's a good spot for a fall or winter evening dinner.  The hostesses are a bit sassy, but if you ignore them then it's a pleasant place.

Their gluten free menu isn't on the website, but they do have a separate menu.  There are several appetizers, entrees, homemade pastas, and pizzas.  I've tried the meatball and mozzarella stick appetizers.  The meatballs were good and you really can't go wrong with fried cheese.  I'd also like to try the rice balls.

When I went last night I had the sausage ragu penne for my entree.  It was really good.  The other time I went I had the chicken parmesan.  The portion was quite large and it was definitely enough for two meals.  Next time I go, and there will be a next time, maybe I'll try the pizza.

This place is great because it's good Italian food for gluten and gluten free eaters alike.

Anyone else been here?  How's the pizza?

Pala Pizza

I keep a list of gluten free restaurants in my phone.  It's a mixture of places I've tried and places I've been wanting to try.  It has the restaurant name, type of food, and location.  With this list I can satisfy any food craving or find a place to eat within a 20 minute radius of whichever Manhattan neighborhood I am in.  It has come in helpful time and time again.  It it much longer than the list of restaurants I have reviewed here, but I'm working on adding them all to this site.

Pala Pizza has been on my list since I first went gluten free over a year ago.  I'm not sure why I'd never been until yesterday, but I finally made it there.  The menu has appetizers, salads, pastas, and pizzas.  Just about everything can be gluten free.  Not only do they have gluten free pasta and pizza, but they have three varieties of gluten free pasta - which is very exciting for us gluten free folks.  They also have a large vegan menu if that suits your fancy.

I had the risotto ball appetizer and gluten free spaghetti with meatballs for my entre.  I liked the risotto balls.  They were crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and served with a marinara dipping sauce.  The spaghetti and meatballs were fine, which was kind of disappointing because I was hoping it would be great.  The spaghetti itself was good, but the sauce had a really strong taste that I couldn't identify.  The portion was also a bit small in my opinion.

I left a little disappointed.  The guy next to me had ordered a gluten free pizza that looked pretty good, so I did the fat kid thing and went back today to try the pizza.  I didn't want to review the place as "meh" without having tried their specialty.  I ordered the zucchini pizza with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes.  It was good.  It was served on this pizza board, which clearly marked it as gluten free:

They go out of their way to ask if anyone at the table has any food allergies and make you feel comfortable that your food will be safe.  This is a plus for the very gluten sensitive folks. 

Even with going back to try the pizza, I wasn't overly excited by this place.  It is good, not great.  Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for them, there are many places in NYC that serve good gluten free pizza.  That being said, it is a good restaurant to keep on my list in case I find myself in the Lower East Side needing a place to eat.  I'd like to try more of their pastas, and I'm kind of wishing I had some of those risotto balls to eat right now.  It's also close to Babycakes, which is a plus for dessert (although I like Tu-Lu's better).

Keste Pizza

Keste Pizza has gluten free pizza options on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Today is Tuesday and I went to try it with two lovely ladies from my old job.  The menu is really just pizza and wine.  Oh, and some salads.  There are only three gluten free pizza options: marinara, margherita, and a meat choice.  Why stray from the classics, I guess?  Lisa and I split a caprese salad and a margherita pizza.  There was wine all around.  I liked the pizza a lot, but Lisa (a gluten eater) confirmed that it was actually good (I'm starting to lose touch with what is "good" and what is "good for gluten free").  This pizza was good.

Ok ok, I wasn't thrilled with the $18 price tag of the pizza.  But this is New York City, and this is also gluten free, so I guess I'll have to suck it up.  The only other thing to note is that Keste is literally right across the street from Risotteria.  Seeing as I don't travel to the West Village very often, if I was standing in the middle of the street with Risotteria on one side and Keste on the other, I might tend to pick Risotteria.  This is really just because of their amazing bread sticks and the fact that I am generally more likely to order risotto than pizza.  This being said, if you are big into pizza, I would definitely give Keste a try.  It's worth it.  This is me and our gluten free pizza:

Compliments of Lisa Y.

And now that I feel sufficiently dorky for sharing a picture of myself...good night.

Bistango Restaurant

I've been to Bistango a few times now.  In fact, it was one of the very first restaurants I tried after going gluten free.  They are very aware of food allergies and ask upon seating if anyone in your party has any food allergies.  While the menu isn't huge, they specialize in Italian food and have plenty of dishes to choose from.  Just about everything on the menu can be modified to be gluten free, including the pasta dishes.

I went last night and when I told them I had a gluten allergy they promptly brought me some toasted gluten free bread with my own garlic and olive oil.  My man friend's fresh gluten filled bread looked much better, but that's ok.  On Monday nights they have a slightly different menu that is a little bit cheaper.  I like this because while their food is good, it is a little bit above my average night out's price range.  I got the Baked Lasagna with Short Rib Bolognese.  To make it gluten free they modified it by serving the same ingredients over gluten free penne.  It was really good.  My man friend had the Grilled Salmon and enjoyed his as well.  They also have fresh gluten free pasta which I think would be interesting to try.

Overall, Bistango is a pretty good choice for gluten free Italian food in the city.  They do charge $2 more for gluten free penne, but a lot of places do that.  I also just noticed they have gluten free pancakes during brunch, so I will definitely be back to try them at some point.

Pie By The Pound

Friday after work I went to Pie By The Pound for some gluten free pizza.  I had never been there before but it was on my list of restaurants to try.  I'm glad I did.  Pie is a casual pizza place that was full of locals and school children getting slices and free cookies (I'm not sure why they had free cookies, but yay for them).  Their regular pizza is already prepared and you choose how much of each kind you want.  I saw many people mixing and matching.  They make their gluten free pizza to order, so I chose the zucchini and red onion and sat down to wait.  They told me it would be about 10 minutes.

I got wrapped up in my book, but approximately 10 minutes later they brought my pizza over to me.  I got up to get some napkins and overheard a man asking the counter lady who the gluten free pizza was for.  I pipped up that it was for me and a few minutes later he came over with his own gluten free pizza and joined me.  Turns out he is the owner and has been gluten free for six years.  He was very friendly, gave me a slice of his custom order gluten free pizza, and even gave me a free gluten free beer.  His neighbor from uptown also stopped by and the three of us sat and chatted.  It turned out to be a great first experience.  With such a convenient location near Union Square, gluten free pizza that actually tastes good (really good), and such a friendly staff, I will definitely be back to Pie again.

5 Napkin Burger

One of my brothers loves 5 Napkin Burger.  He used to live near the one in Hell's Kitchen and we would go every so often.  As the name implies, they specialize in burgers.  I'm kind of salivating now thinking of the burger I ate there last night.  They have two locations on Manhattan's west side, one in my Astoria Queens neighborhood, as well as one in Boston, Miami, and Atlanta.  Fortunately for me, they have gluten free buns.

5 Napkin has 8 different burger varieties, but I'm not sure I've ever strayed from the traditional 5 Napkin Burger (with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, and rosmary aioli) or the Bacon-Cheddar Burger (served with the classic lettuce, tomato, and onion).  A side of fries is a must.  When I ordered the fries this time the server informed me there was a slight chance of cross contamination because they are prepared near a station that deals with wheat.  I took my chances and was fine, but I appreciated that he let me know.

They also have other appetizers, entres, and desserts, but who goes to a burger place and gets anything else?  My only qualm with this place is that it's pretty expensive for a burger (although they did not charge me extra for the gluten free bun, which was a plus).  Because of this, and the fact that I always leave feeling a bit sluggish, it's more of an every 6 months to a year kind of restaurant.  But those times I do go, it's always a nice treat.

I know they have gluten free buns at the Hell's Kitchen and Astoria locations because I've been there, but I suggest calling first to check at the other locations.  The buns are rice based and pretty good for a gluten free burger bun.

Hale and Hearty

I used to love Hale and Hearty soup for lunch.  Warm and comforting, it is a great lunch choice for fall, winter, spring, and even some summer days when the air conditioning in your office makes it feel like winter.  Once I went gluten free I was too scared to eat at Hale and Hearty because I wasn't sure if their soups were gluten free or not.   A few weeks ago, though, I really wanted soup for lunch so I emailed them to see.  I wasn't sure I'd hear back, but low and behold, I had an answer within the hour.  Turns out, the vast majority of their soups are perfectly safe to eat.  This information is on their website, but it's a bit difficult to find.  A full list of their gluten free soups is here.

Hale and Hearty has locations all over the city and each day they have multiple soup options.  I've never had one I didn't like and I'm happy to know I can add them to my lunchtime restaurant choices.

New York City Wine & Food Festival

If you read my blog maybe you like food.  And wine.  I like both.  Maybe you also like supporting organizations dedicated to fighting hunger.  I know I do.  Maybe you would like to attend a food and wine festival that also helps fight hunger.  You can do this by either buying a ticket to an event at this year's Wine & Food Festival, or if you aren't quite on that financial level, you can volunteer at an event and eat and drink for free (this is my personal choice).

I have volunteered at this festival for the last two years.  If I can, I plan on doing it again this year.  It is a weekend full of really fun events, lots of good food, and plenty of opportunities to see famous chefs.  Best of all, the proceeds of this festival go to the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength, both of which are organizations dedicated to ending food poverty.

Check out the different events here.
You can buy tickets here.
If you are interested in volunteering, fill out this survey or email my friend Brian Pham at the Food Bank.

For my gluten free friends: I cannot guarantee you gluten free food at any of these events, but I can guarantee you'll have fun while doing something good for society.

Gluten Free Beer - Estrella Daura

Many people morn the loss of beer when going gluten free.  I was never a big beer drinker, but sometimes, you just need a beer: the Super Bowl, all other sporting events, summer bbqs, college, and there are probably other times.  This weekend I was at a going away party extravaganza and the host, who also has celiac, gave me an Estrella Daura.  I had never heard of it before, but low and behold, it actually tasted like beer.  I'll be purchasing this for my next beer required event.  Here's where to get it in NYC.

There are a few other gluten free beers available.  Two of the most common are Bard's and Redbridge.  They are fine. Daura is better.

I also just read this post by Gluten Is My Bitch.  Looks like there are three other contenders.  Have you tried any of these beers?  Thoughts?

S'MAC

Sometimes you just need some mac and cheese in your life.  S'MAC is there for you during these times.  Located in the east village, S'MAC offers several variations of mac and cheese to please every palate.  They even let you create your own if you so desire.  And, great news, they offer gluten free macaroni.  Not only that, but their bechamel sauce doesn't contain wheat flour and their bread crumbs are made out of gluten free corn flakes.

I've been to S'MAC a few times and always manage to leave feeling a little bit sick from too much mac and cheese.  Probably the Nosh (smallest) size would be enough, but when you are there and hungry the Major Munch (medium) seems like a necessity.  Don't worry, the walk back to Union Square after gives you some time to digest and get those cheese legs moving.

Mmm mac and cheese.

Update 1/25/2014: S'MAC now also has a Murray Hill location on 33rd Street between Lexington and 3rd.  Also, I have really smartened up in my old age and now always get the Nosh.

Risotteria

Risotteria is hands down the most well known gluten free restaurant in New York City.  I have been several times, even before I knew what gluten was or that I couldn't eat it.  The food is excellent, whether you are gluten free or not.  But, if you are gluten free, you are in some luck.  Risotteria has pizzas, paninis, pastas, salads, desserts, and of course, risotto.  Almost everything on the menu can be made gluten free.

Risotteria is located in the West Village where I am bound to get lost every time.  But, once you find this small bustling restaurant, it's worth it.  To start they bring you the most delicious gluten free bread sticks.  These are the standard bread sticks for everyone, gluten eating or not.  Then you have the daunting task of deciding what to order.  I've tried several of the risottos, a few pizzas, a few salads, and the meatball appetizer.  I've never had something I didn't like here.  This is a perfect restaurant to order a few different dishes and share with your lovely companions.  I've heard great things about the desserts, but I've never had the room to eat any desserts after a hefty portion of creamy risotto.

The only problem with this restaurant is that it's very small and they do not accept reservations.  With a seating capacity of 20, it's best to arrive early and with only one friend.  I highly recommend this place - especially in the fall or winter when the risotto can warm you from the inside out.